New York Books

I must agree with the above reviews. I picked up this memoir on a remainder table a year or so ago. I started it but put it down. I suppose I was not in the mood for it. Thankfully, it turned up in a pile somewhere a few days ago and I find myself absolutely engaged. I studied Frank O'Hara in college and always admired his matter-of-fact attitude toward his being gay (or queer as the term was then). JL's book reconfirms that point. O'Hara never was the doomed queen, a persona so common for that time (Tennessee Williams being the reigning royalty of that court). JL, it appears, had the same attitude toward his homosexuality: it simply was his preference. Beyond the queer studies angle, JL brings a wonderfully engaging voice to his memoir. It is, by turns, poetic, conspiratorial, wistful, humorous. So if you want to know more about O'Hara and his circle, read this book

Joe LeSueur's memoir of his friend and companion, is a truly illuminating portrait of the artist. What makes these digressions so rich and rewarding for the reader, is the unique perspective LeSueur is able to bring to this material. These are LeSueur's memories of experiences and events shared with O'Hara and their myriad of friends and acquaintances. I found this book to be compelling, intimate and inspiring (indeed, "Lunch Poems" and "Selected Poems" were never too far out of reach, and both read from cover to cover). By virtue of having been a participant or, at the very least having been an eye witness to the events depicted, LeSueur has captured not just a time and place, but the essence of a cherished friend. I found myself reading slowly, savoring each passage. By the end of the book I felt I had really gotten to know O'Hara and his circle of friends, and found myself in tears as I read the last few pages. LeSueur's memoir is a tribute to Frank O'Hara as both an artist and a beloved friend.

At Frank O'Hara's funeral, composer Virgil Thomsom turned to the poet's longtime friend Joe LeSueur and said, "Baby, I hope you kept a journal." Though clearly not drawing upon stale journal entries, LeSueur's memoir of his relationship with O'Hara (which survived the vicissitudes of its ever-changing status...friends to lovers to friends, etc.) is a nice blend of personal memories and feverish impromptu research (Brad Gooch's biography seems to have been ever at his elbow). LeSueur is neither vindictive nor pointlessly benign. He truly understood and appreciated O'Hara's central position in the explosion of art that was happening in New York in the 50s and 60s. Unlike Ginsberg and the Beat poets, O'Hara was equally at ease among literary folk, musicians, and painters (especially the abstract expressionists). To read about O'Hara is to read about the greatness of post-war New York.

DIGRESSIONS is actually helpful, too. Because O'Hara often adopted a casual, off-hand, personal approach when writing his poems, it is great to have someone who was intimate with the poet to explain "who's who" and "what's what." LeSueur, however, is equally comfortable admitting when he's baffled by an O'Hara reference, and explanations (and reminiscences) are never forced.

One other thing--DIGRESSIONS is an enlightening portrait of gay life in New York prior to the Stonewall riots. O'Hara and LeSueur were both openly gay, though they had quite different approaches to meeting their sexual needs. O'Hara seems to have had fewer partners, usually choosing them from his circle of friends and aquaintances. LeSueur seemed to favor one-night stands and casual sex. Perhaps this difference is one reason their friendship continued long after their sexual intimacy ended. If only LeSueur had lived long enough to write DIGRESSIONS ON GAY LIFE BEFORE STONEWALL.

This is a remarkable book. If you ever loved Frank O'Hara's poetry, the book is really a necessity. It gives personal reminiscences about the writing of some of the famous poems: 'The day Lady died', 'A true account of talking to the Sun...', etc. It brings many of the more obscure and personal poems into remarkable focus. It also illumines many of names and references that appear throughout the poems. All of this from probably the closest witness to O'Hara's life, creative and otherwise. For these reasons, it is a quite an unusual treasure.

But beyond its usefulness to O'Hara's poetry, the book is the story of a friendship. And an account of a special time in American arts and letters - told from one of the members at the party. LeSueur's presence in O'Hara's life might have been partly due to charm and good lucks (which he discusses), but that apparently never stopped him from being important to O'Hara. (The famous 'Lunch Poems' is dedicated to him.) We are fortunate that he was a careful observer and was blessed with a remarkable memory. Apparently he died shortly before the book was published, which is poignant, because the book is also a tribute to LeSueur's life, and a celebration.

Joe LeSueur has provided the cultural history of American arts in the mid-20th Century with this seamlessly interesting and informative inside perspective on the important role of Frank O'Hara - poet, art critic, champion of the visual, musical, and literary arts par excellence. DIGRESSIONS ON SOME POEMS BY FRANK O'HARA is not only a clever and viable means to writing a memoir: it provides insights into the growingly important works of O'Hara who some are now ranking as the 20th century version of Walt Whitman as Poet of the City. While many of the poems introducing each chapter are well known to us, it is the window to the world of O'Hara's life and times that is so well served by Joe LeSueur's writing. Frank O'Hara was bonded with such luminaries as Willem de Kooning, Elaine de Kooning, Larry Rivers, Joan Mitchell, Jackson Pollock, Grace Hartigan, Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns, Lincoln Kirsten, WH Auden, Kenneth Koch - the list is endless. O'Hara was a behind the scenes observor, never hogging the limelight and in fact avoiding it, always with his keen eye on good art, good music, good writing, and always turning out poems that only now are being read seriously by the general public. Joe LeSueur live with O'Hara, joining O'Hara in his flagrantly 'Out' gay life, hobnobbing with all the other gay artists of his time in a way that makes him the recorder of that important preStonewall age, a time when even the giants such as Aaron Copeland, Leonard Bernstein, Samuel Barber, etc were closeted. At times LeSueur borders on the gossipy side, but that only enhances his subject. What we are left with here is a wonderfully composed tribute to a great artist and supporter of the arts. The overall effect of this book is monumental, and at the same time exceedingly conversational. Very Highly Recommended.

i loved this book. i felt as though i was right there with him and his family through every phase of their lives. this book had everything going for it, sadness, chaos, happiness, tragedy. it was so personal and you just felt as though the author let you in to share with him.

This book will be enjoyed by all who read it for it is a story of survival from the ashes of the Holocaust. This book is also an excellent book club selection that will spark much thought and conversation.

Joseph Berger has written a story that needed to be told, but he has included too much extraneous material about his own life. Much of what he tells reveals what it was like growing up as the child of a refugee, but who cares whether or not he dated in high school?

The best parts of this book were those about his mother's life and about how she managed in the United States as a refugee. Berger's writing is more journalism than story telling. He's got all the facts, but none of his descriptions flare above the mundane. His mother's reminisences are far more artistic, and reveal more than the words on the page.

My father's story parallels Joseph Berger's in eerie ways...they were both at the Schlactensee DP Camp and the Landsberg-Am-Lech DP camp...Berger's mother's story of her youth could be my grandmother's, from an unpleasant step-mother to the flight East to Russia. My father was born during my grandparents' refuge in the USSR, and crossed illegally with his family into Poland after the war ended. I have always been close to my grandparents, but this book brought clarity and insight into topics they don't generally discuss...the duality that immigrant survivors (the displaced persons) felt between their new lives in America and the tragedy and loss left in Europe. When I look at my grandparents' happy faces at family occasions---graduations, weddings, bar mitzvahs, birthday parties---I wonder if the events make them remember times similar back in Lithuania. Berger's story, beautifully written and researched, is a must-read.

This book resonates on many levels. It is a compelling and vivid narrative detailing the acculturation of Holocaust survivors in New York City, specifically, during the immediate post-war period. But this is no dry text. You feel the bewilderment of these brave souls as they desperately try to make a home for themselves in their newly adopted country while, at the same time, deal with the perpetual anguish of searing, catastrophic loss of family, country, and hope (or faith, or optimism). This is all presented through the lens of the author's memory in a series of poignant vignettes, capturing just the right detail to press itself into your heart, time and time again. From the particulars of these experiences, it deepened my understanding for what my own mother went through when she immigrated -- she is considered a Holocaust survivor because she experienced Kristallnacht in Vienna, but she was fortunate enough to have come to America pre-war -- and strengthened my compassion, empathy, sense of kinship and profound respect for all survivors of catastrophe due to war, or abuse, or illness, etc., who have nonetheless managed to make reasonable and productive lives for themselves. So...get the book and treasure it!

We received this book and cd as a gift. After reading the book many times we finally got around to listening to the cd. It's absolutely fantastic! My kids don't want to listen to anything else. Thankfully my husband and I enjoy the songs and sing along too!

Cute, fun, and highly dance-able, "A Duck in New York City" is a must for any child's music collection. We like "A Poodle in Paris" as well, but "Duck" is slightly superior. The Belly Button song is a favorite around here.

I initially borrowed this book and CD set from the library on a whim because the cover looked interesting. Two renews later, I am purchasing one for the house. I have a 2 and 3 year old who listen to this CD non-stop. My 3 year old knows all the words, and I must confess I DO TO. The songs are so creative and catchy -- you will find yourself humming along with the alligators. This is certainly a smart collection of songs that will introduce your little one to various styles of music. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!!

A friend gave my daughter this CD for her first birthday, and we've been listening to it almost nonstop ever since. The lyrics are clever and fun, and the music is beautifully scored and performed. I sing along with all the songs myself, and my daughter sways and dances. Highly recommended!!!

This is a really cute book with great pictures and a very imaginative story that emphasizes the "I think I can" theme.
It is great for children of all ages!

A great book for those who wants to learn about Argentinian way of life and traditions. If you can read it in Spanish Language you'll apreciate it more. Regards.-

I bought this edition of the unforgettable classic by José Hernandez (meaning, the one by iUniverse, ISBN 1-58348-811-1) misled by the review below that recommends it as including both, the Spanish original and the English translation, and as being extensively annotated. That review must refer to a different edition, for this one only includes the Spanish text (both parts, Martín Fierro and La Vuelta de Martín Fierro) and is NOT annotated.

It is a spanish editio

If you want to understand the life-style of the gauchos in Argentina by the begining of the century then this book is for you. Unfortunatly unless you read it in spanish you might lose 80% of it's value, since it is written in the gaucho's jargon.

Martin Fierro THE HARDCOVER EDITION IS NOW OUT OF PRINT, GET THE PAPERBACK HERE AT AMAZON; COPY & PASTE THE FOLLOWING ISBN into the SEARCH field -- ISBN-13: 9780791458600.

Here's a wonderful collection of diverse writings about New York City ranging from an account of Henry Hudson's 1609 voyage down the river that took his name to a very poignant piece about 9/11 by a member of Mayor Rudy Giuliani's staff. Articles by such well-known writers as O'Henry, Theodore Dreiser, Herman Melville, Stephen Crane, Scott Fitzgerald and John Steinbeck (all who have lived in the Empire City) are included. Each selection has a brief introduction packed with interesting facts about the City and the writer of the piece. A great read and reference.

Superlatives seldom meet the mark, except EMPIRE CITY. This is a book of superlative moods, the city of true night and day, and of gifted writers meeting on Gotham's every old and new corner. Each in their own time, they're overwhelmed by the city's human vastness, its diversity, even attracted to its loneliness - the city's unique ability to confer absolute privacy in neighborhoods and buildings that rise into the sky.

To paraphrase, one writer said, "No matter the hour, there's always something exciting happening in New York." Like rubbing minds with Jack Kerouac, or going uptown with Federico Garcia Lorca, and James Baldwin - or rooting for the Yankees with Bruce Catton. Last night I sat ringside at the Polo Grounds for the Firpo/Dempsey fight; the day before I broke my back as a laborer on the Brooklyn Bridge; tonight I'm taking the ferry to see Whitman's leaves of grass. And after that, supper at Delmonico's. If I have energy enough come morning, it's off on the Half Moon to discover Manhattan - and you're welcome to come along.

I haven't even scratched the surface, because there's always something wonderful to do in Jackson & Dunbar's superlative collection, EMPIRE CITY.

I bought this book as soon as it was in stores because David Dunbar, my former teacher, wrote it and he is a GENIUS. Reading the essays and stories between the covers was an even greater experience than owning the work of a friend. It now sits on my coffeetable, waiting for my next trip to Dobbs Ferry, where I will ask David to inscribe the title page with his autograph. Each essay is packed with all the feeling and emotion to be found in the city, in all of its people and buildings and history. To read this book is not simply to follow words on a page...It is to experience the greatest city on Earth. From Joplin to New York and back again, this book, and CITYterm, have together been one of the most enlightening opportunities I have ever had.

Editors Kenneth Jackson and David Dunbar have amassed an enormous collection of essays, letters, diary entries, and poems about New York written by New Yorkers and visitors to the city from the dawn of the modern age (ca. 1600) to just after the ravages of 9/11. While an overwhelming majority of the pieces are pro-Gotham, I was glad that Messrs. Jackson and Dunbar had the wisdom and integrity to present some works that express anxiety and doubt about New York's status. The result is an extensive, celebratory, sometimes warts-and-all biography of the world's greatest city. As Mr. Jackson remarked in the 1999 Ric Burns New York Documentary, New York is not a stagnant, static thing: "New York is always becoming". He and Mr. Dunbar are to be congratulated for reminding us that New York's biography is long, and with a lot more greatness to come.

Rocco Dormarunno,
author of "The Five Points, A Novel"

this book is a masterpiece for anyone on the search. if you are one of those lower east side hipsters who thinks theres no success like failure, but failure's no success at all, then this book is for you. it leans into the kernel, and asks the right questions from beginning to end. get ready to strap on your conceptual goggles and prepare for some authors intention. from joan didion's "goodbye to all that" to walt whitman's "crossing brooklyn ferry" this book keeps the faith all the way.

Some people will buy this for the camp value, but there is a surprisingly large amount of tips and info that are perfectly current, in fact timeless. Like this book.

What a wonderful book. I enjoy looking at it again and again. Great ideas from years ago that can still be used today!

Dorothy Draper was known for her sense of style in both decorating and entertaining. Although this book was written in the mid-1900s the entertaining suggestions are timeless. The book itself is fun with its typical 1950s illustrations and speech. This is a book that is fun to use to while away an afternoon.

Not as important or famous as Draper's "Decorating is Fun," but her 1941 "Entertaining" book is still amusing, deserving a spot on your coffee table next to an old 1940s Emily Post Etiquette book (when is somone gonna get wise and issue reprints of THOSE?).

Among the highlights is a full list of what every well-appointed home cannot do without, just in case an unexpected guest drops by ("a charming tea set," "a good hall mirror," and "a big metal bell with a lovely tone, to call people in from the garden for games or meals..."), and how to throw a dinner party--1940s style.

Fascinating book. In no time you'll be providing crisp stationery, fresh flowers, 700-thread-count sheets and a luggage stand for your weekend guests...and really, aren't those the "family values" that matter most?

This book is wonderful. I just love Draper's tone and conversational way of writing. She offers ideas for all budgets and lifestyles. Charmingly retro, with plenty of good advice for today's hostesses. I could not put it down.

-I should know, I wrote for it.

Trust me, this is the most comprehensive and in-the-know guide to New York City's not-so-underground sexual nightlife. From stupid frat boy thrills and overpriced beer at Coyote Ugly to the dungeons where only the hardcore scary people go, you'll find what you're looking for between these sparkly pink vovers. A few of the places have closed down, and few have moved, and a few new ones have opened up, so maybe we can write a sequel...

I got this book as a gift from my co-workers for my birthday...cover is cheesey, but, the reviews are pretty open-minded (ie, a dork like me can understand it all and the writers don't talk down to you). I learned about a lot of cool/scary stuff that goes on every day in my neighborhood... like the cake store that makes cakes in the shape in penises...

There are lots of books claiming the mantle of sexy style, but this one actually delivers. Unlike some of the imitators, this is the 2nd edition of the original book that uncovered New York's sexiest spots. This one packs even more sultry ideas into a book you can slip in your pocket, or anywhere else your imagination desires. It's a fun read, well-written, and will supply you with ample ideas to heat up your summer in the Big Apple...

If you wanna know what's hot and what's not in the Big Apple, this is the book for you. Whether you're just looking for a night out with the girls (or boys), curious about a sexual subculture, or a committed decadent who's just moved to town, "Erotic New York" is in-depth, insightful, knee-slappingly funny, and supremely helpful.

This latest installment of Erotic New York is large enough to include the exciting skinny on all the sexy places you've always heard about but never gotten up the nerve to check out; and small enough to stick in your back pocket. I like to keep in close by when I go out. My friends and I have been referring to it mid-evening, closing our eyes and randomly selecting our next venue...a fun game when you employ the "no turning back" rule!

This book is fun to read and dare I say educational.

I have decided to write this review despite the fact that I have only just ordered the book, and have not yet read it. I did however, just celebrate Chinese New Year (The Year of the Dog)with Barbara (the author) and Jim (her scrappy Irish hubby). I had never met them before last evening and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting and speaking to them. I already know that this is going to be a 5 star book!!! Nice meeting you Barbara and Jim (and Jack and Grandpa)

A fast and fun read that captures the little nuances of the classic love-hate romance. It may also be one of the best fictitious renderings of a newsroom I've ever read. Ms. Fischkin is a great comedic writer, with impeccable timing and a wonderful literary voice.

As a Pulitzer Prize winning winning journalist, I'll tell you that this is the funniest newspaper book since Scoop

An excellent start in her first fiction novel. Fischkin takes us from Long Island to Ireland and gives a wonderful look into the world of journalism. Her characters are funny and endearing. As I know the "Real Mulvaney" and am familiar with some of he other real-life characters, it was fun for me to try to figure out what was true and what was untrue. Her sharp wit and obvious love for her husband, the egotistical but loveable Jim Mulvaney and his escapades, keep you turning the pages. I couldn't put it down and can't wait for the sequel.

Have you ever been crazy about someone who drives you crazy? Someone you think is wonderful even though they use all the wrong strategies to try to convince you that they are wonderful? Barbara Fischkin has captured this nutty dynamic in a romantic comedy about two self-absorbed but lovable journalists, their Irish-Jewish culture clash, and their misadventures chasing down stories about IRA and ETA terrorists. You will laugh very, very hard. I promise.

I was given this book by my oldest sister. I had moved away from the Finger Lakes when I was just 17. I keep it on my coffee table and share it with all my new friends here in Texas. These are some of the most beautiful pictures I have ever seen. I now give it as a gift to friends that too have moved away.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Sara Radford Thomas

I too am from the Finger Lakes area and upon seeing the beautiful pictures in this book, I immediately went online and ordered it. I finally have something to show my friends that displays the beautiful area in which I grew up. Anyone going to visit this area will get a wonderful idea of what to see when they arive.

This book does a wonderfull job of displaying many of the sights and hidden treasures of the oft overlooked finger lakes region. Many of the photos include bits of history and indian lore from long ago. The photos do not disappoint, and display the 4 seasons in all their glory. Summer sunsets are mixed with lush green spring scenes, and of course fall is represented with all it's brilliant color. Mr McCarthy's book does not forget winter as do many pictorials of the area. Instead, snowy Christmas scenes are shown along with bleak, cold January images that will have the reader craving a hot bowl of soup and a warm fire. Despite the bleak Upstate winters, Mr McCarthy finds images of beauty in the ice and snow that are hard to forget. The stars of the book... the Finger Lakes are each represented along with a brief description of their size and length. I find this to be a excellent gift to give to visitors or friends who have left the area. I have one one my coffee table and it is the first thing visitors pick up when they come in. Since the Finger Lakes encompass such a large area, many locals will remark that they have never been to the places pictured in the book, though they live only a short drive away. This would make a good gift for those who have the urge to explore the area.

This is an absolutely beautiful pictorial book of our region. We gave these as thank you gifts to 16 speakers (10 were from other states) who spoke at a special anniversary conference we held this month. Since this conference is always in December, we wanted to showcase our area in all of the seasons. This book was very well received.

I was overwhelmed with joy and melancholy when I cracked open this beautiful book. I am a former resident of Central New York (having lived near Conesus, Otisco and Skaneatles Lakes, and enjyoing trips with my father on Cayuga Lake, where he kept a 24 foot cabin cruiser for 5 years). Not only are the McCarthys skilled photographers, but the area itself is worthy of such a compendium. I particularly appreciated John McCarthy's descriptions of set-ups and time of day for particular shots, as well as the commentary regarding the history of the area. I've ordered several more copies for old friends who love the area as much as I do, and new friends who will once they take a look.

It started out as a routine fire in a restaurant basement. But then two firefighters were killed, and New York Fire Marshall Georgia Skeehan must sort through the evidence to determine who is responsible for the arson--and two murders. She is elated when an answering machine tape at the restaurant yields a clear-cut confession from a notorious torch, Michael McLaughlin. But suddenly there are Feds involved, and the fire department is ordered to keep their hands off McLaughlin. He's a confidential informant, and the magnitude of the FBI's case takes precedent over an arson case.

Georgia, who is a bit hot-headed, is livid over the Feds' high-handedness and finds herself part of the FBI's investigative team. It's the only way they'll keep her quiet. Soon she's working undercover with gangsters and terrorists, she almost gets blown up, and she realizes she has become a pawn in McLaughlin's little game. She also discovers she and McLaughlin have a history she didn't even know about, and the mysteries, lies and dead bodies pile up until Georgia doesn't know who to turn to, who to trust.

Fireplay is a really outstanding mystery that incorporates elements of a police procedural and a taut, woman-in-jeopardy story. The emotions were honest, and realistic details about fires and arson made me believe, for a couple of hours, that it was really happening. I can't give much higher praise than that. The only thing I didn't care for was the very last twist, which was so far-fetched it killed the believability factor. But it was almost an afterthought, thrown in as details of the mystery were being wrapped up, so it didn't really spoil the story for me.

I haven't read in awhile and I just happened to see Fireplay by Suzanne Chazin and grabbed it because I have read her first two novels. Frankly, I thought it would be awhile before I read it. Wrong! I loved this book. I'm not going to give a play-by-play description of the plot since that has already been done.

What impressed me most was the emotional aspect of this book. In the first two books, you learned a lot of information about the technical side of firefighting with mystery and suspense. In Fireplay, you still get the suspense and mystery, but Ms. Chazin takes us a step closer in understanding the recurring characters. We see our heroine, Georgia, thrown into a situation way beyond her control, but she never lets up for an instant. All the major characters find themselves not knowing whom to trust or keeping things from each other. This adds to the drama. The ending-well, I never saw it coming.

Fireplay is a great novel. You can pretty well read this one without the first two. However, I have to recommend you read those as well. Ms. Chazin has a great series going on here. I will be looking for the next novel, even if I don't read anything else in between.

You only need to read a page of FIREPLAY to recognize and appreciate how excellent a writer Suzanne Chazin has become. She has been impressive from the beginning --- so impressive that it is hard to believe that THE FOURTH ANGEL was a debut novel and harder still to believe that FIREPLAY is only her third. But by the time you're six pages or so into FIREPLAY, you'll realize, like the characters in the book, that there is no turning back.

Chazin skillfully accomplishes a number of things in this first chapter. Chazin puts you in the middle of a firefighting situation, standing right next to three of New York's Bravest as they walk into a mess that they did not create but that they must nonetheless contain, control and eliminate. Chazin does more than describe the scene --- she creates a sense of impending doom, with accompanying suspense; she makes the readers care about the characters within just a couple of sentences; and she brings the readers directly into a situation that they can identify with, even though the overwhelming majority of them are unfamiliar with it. However, this is not a gratuitous scene thrown in merely to hook the reader (although it does that, oh yes indeed). It sets the tone of the entire novel and has repercussions that echo on practically every page, from beginning to end.

The main hero of FIREPLAY, as with THE FOURTH ANGEL and FLASHOVER, is New York City Fire Marshal Georgia Skeehan. Skeehan is brought in to investigate the fire that takes place at the beginning of FIREPLAY, a fire that causes minimal property damage to a swank restaurant but that results in the deaths of two firefighters. It quickly becomes evident that the fire is arson and is tied to an enigmatic character named Michael McLoughlin, a.k.a. Freezer. Skeehan and her partner, Randy Carter, practically have McLoughlin dead to rights, but McLoughlin is under the protection of the FBI, which is using him to defuse an environmentalist terrorist group.

Skeehan is frustrated enough with her inability to bring in a man who was responsible for the deaths of two firefighters, but her frustration increases one hundredfold when she learns that there is a connection between McLoughlin and a fire that occurred decades ago and that took the life of her firefighter father. This knowledge makes Skeehan more determined than ever to get McLoughlin, even as she is forced to work undercover with him in order to thwart a terrorist act that the environmentalists are planning. Things become even more complicated, however, when she discovers that there is another person working with terrorists: the father of her son. And that, believe it or not, is only the beginning of the surprises that occur from the beginning to the end of this fine novel --- including one, near the end, that you'll never see coming.

There are, for whatever reasons, very few writers currently mining the area of fire investigation as a source for suspense novels. Chazin is very well on her way to making her name synonymous with this sub-genre; it is quickly becoming obvious, however, that she would be at the front of the pack no matter what area she chooses to labor in. FIREPLAY and Chazin are not to be missed.

Fire Marshall, Georgia Skeehan, investigates a fire at a restaurant that kills two firefighters. A "probie" (rookie firefighter) survives, but is emotionally scarred from the experience of his first big fire. In the course of her investigation, she is forced to work with a long time master arsonist that is under the protection of the FBI. Working undercover, Georgia discovers the father of her child, who she hasn't had contact with in eight years, is involved. As she digs deeper into the present case, she must confront another case previously thought solved, the death of her own firefighter father.

In this gritty and realistic portrayal of firefighters, Georgia has to deal with everything from helping a rookie overcome his ordeal, to her own emotional scars from her father's death, to working with an arsonist she detests. Not a book to be breezed through, this is an intricately plotted and emotionally complex book.

This is a wonderful entry in a really outstanding fire fighting series. Chazin shows her experience and expertise in this part science lesson, part human drama, and part crime novel. Don't miss the other two books in this series THE FOURTH ANGEL and FLASHOVER. All are excellent.

Third in Ms. Chazin's Georgia Skeehan series, the latest installment finds this fire marshal for the FDNY resurrecting ghosts from her past, including the fire where her father was killed and the reappearance of her long-lost boyfriend, the father of her eight-year-old son Richie. But the crux of the novel centers around a fire at trendy Café Treize, that resulted in the death of two veteran firefighters and led Georgia and her partner, Randy Carter, to investigate `Freezer', aka Michael McLaughlin, former member of the Irish gang, the Westies, and all-around extortionist.

McLaughlin is as street-wise as he is savvy, as he turns to the FBI to protect him from the FDNY, claiming to help the feds find Coyote, a ruthless member of the Green Warriors, who use terroristic acts to aid their leftist environmental causes. While Georgia's sense of justice is sometimes at odds with her duties as a fire marshal, she shows a greater maturity in this latest read than in previous novels, especially when she is asked to go undercover as Freezer's girlfriend, much to the dismay of her boyfriend and boss, Mac Marenko.

Georgia must face some difficult choices when she finds out that her ex, Rick, might be involved with the mob and seems to know the members of the Green Warriors. Could he be a suspect in a recent arson, and does she want him to meet the son he abandoned eight years ago?

Georgia, the tough but loving woman and fire marshal, gives the reader insight into the emotions involved in the valiant profession of firefighting, even as she vows to arrest McLaughlin for his horrific crimes. Always suspenseful and compelling, Ms. Chazin's novel, written with her inside knowledge of the FDNY, puts Georgia on a par with April Woo, Leslie Glass' NYPD detective in her critically acclaimed April Woo series.